1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel process for producing an .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated carbonyl compound and more particularly, it relates to a process for producing an .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated carbonyl compound by reacting an alkenyl compound with oxygen in heterogeneous system.
2. Related Art
Unsaturated carbonyl compounds such as cyclopentenone derivatives, cyclohexenone derivatives and cyclododecenone derivatives are useful chemical substances in the field of perfumes, medicines and chemicals.
As a process for synthesizing of these unsaturated carbonyl compounds, it has been known to react an alkenylsilyl ether with palladium acetate ("Journal of Organic Chemistry", 1978, 43, 1011). However, this process is not economical as expensive palladium is used in a stoichiometric amount. Moreover, the reaction is carried out in a homogeneous system and so recovery of palladium from the reaction system takes trouble and this process is inferior in operability.